Because passengers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, mobility and sea-going knowledge, it is incumbent upon the prudent owner/operator to ensure that there is a competent skipper and a sufficient number of well-trained crew on the vessel. Life saving equipment should be clearly indicated and its use demonstrated both with placards and demonstration prior to departure from the wharf. Passengers subsequently reported that the injuries they suffered were directly or indirectly caused by the movement of the heavy wooden box, containing the life jackets, sliding to the low side of the well deck after the vessel became hung up. The observance of basic seamanship by the skipper or by TCMS at inspection would have ensured that the box was properly secured. It was not and was a hazard to passengers and crew. The skipper of the MACDONALD'SIII had spent most of his adult life on boats in and around Charlottetown Harbour. He could, therefore, be deemed to have an intimate knowledge of the area, its tides, currents, and water flow.Analysis Because passengers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, mobility and sea-going knowledge, it is incumbent upon the prudent owner/operator to ensure that there is a competent skipper and a sufficient number of well-trained crew on the vessel. Life saving equipment should be clearly indicated and its use demonstrated both with placards and demonstration prior to departure from the wharf. Passengers subsequently reported that the injuries they suffered were directly or indirectly caused by the movement of the heavy wooden box, containing the life jackets, sliding to the low side of the well deck after the vessel became hung up. The observance of basic seamanship by the skipper or by TCMS at inspection would have ensured that the box was properly secured. It was not and was a hazard to passengers and crew. The skipper of the MACDONALD'SIII had spent most of his adult life on boats in and around Charlottetown Harbour. He could, therefore, be deemed to have an intimate knowledge of the area, its tides, currents, and water flow. The skipper left the vessel's control position to point out seals to the passengers: while he was doing this the vessel struck and became hung up on a concrete pillar at the edge of the channel. The hull was holed in way of the engine compartment but the vessel did not flood and sink because it was supported by the underwater concrete pillar. Following a previous occurrence involving the vessel in 1995, an underwriters' surveyor had declared it a constructive total loss. After repairs were carried out, TCMS issued a new inspection certificate (SIC 16) to the vessel. The certificate, which permitted the vessel to carry up to 40 passengers, was current at the time of this occurrence. A post-occurrence inspection of the vessel indicated that, at the time of the striking, the MACDONALD'SIII was in an unseaworthy condition. No placard was posted indicating the location of life jackets, life rafts or life buoys nor were general safety instructions posted for the information of passengers. Passengers were made aware of the safety equipment on board the vessel prior to departure from the wharf.Findings The skipper left the vessel's control position to point out seals to the passengers: while he was doing this the vessel struck and became hung up on a concrete pillar at the edge of the channel. The hull was holed in way of the engine compartment but the vessel did not flood and sink because it was supported by the underwater concrete pillar. Following a previous occurrence involving the vessel in 1995, an underwriters' surveyor had declared it a constructive total loss. After repairs were carried out, TCMS issued a new inspection certificate (SIC 16) to the vessel. The certificate, which permitted the vessel to carry up to 40 passengers, was current at the time of this occurrence. A post-occurrence inspection of the vessel indicated that, at the time of the striking, the MACDONALD'SIII was in an unseaworthy condition. No placard was posted indicating the location of life jackets, life rafts or life buoys nor were general safety instructions posted for the information of passengers. Passengers were made aware of the safety equipment on board the vessel prior to departure from the wharf. The MACDONALD'SIII struck and became hung up on a concrete pillar after the skipper left the control position to alert the passengers to the proximity of seals. At the time, the vessel was in close proximity to known hazards and the flood tide was setting the vessel towards the concrete pillars.Causes and Contributing Factors The MACDONALD'SIII struck and became hung up on a concrete pillar after the skipper left the control position to alert the passengers to the proximity of seals. At the time, the vessel was in close proximity to known hazards and the flood tide was setting the vessel towards the concrete pillars.